Free Agency Begins Tomorrow
Now that the draft has passed and the Bulls got their man in Derrick Rose, the team will have to make some decisions concerning their free agents. Both Luol Deng and Ben Gordon will become restricted free agents tomorrow, meaning the Bulls have the opportunity to match any offer either player receives from another team. Deng declined a $57.5 million extension from the Bulls in October and Gordon rejected a five year deal worth $50 million last summer.
In retrospect, both of these contractual moves look like mistakes. There is no way Gordon is going to receive an offer like the aforementioned one this time around. He’s an undersized two-guard who can do little else besides score. He’s also incredibly streaky and seems to struggle in a starting role, though he’s often clamoring for one. But this is NBA free agency, and it always seems like at least one team is willing to take a chance on almost any player, so Gordon may get an offer for a big contract, though the Bulls wouldn’t be likely to match it. Deng is the player more likely to be wearing a Bulls uniform next season. He and Rose should be the cornerstones of the franchise, and I think the Bulls need to match any reasonable offer Deng might receive. Deng may or may not receive a deal similar to the one offered to him last fall, but the Bulls need to do whatever they can to keep him unless he receives a max offer from someone. He’s only 23 and has already had some very productive seasons.
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Coming Up Roses
Welcome to the Derrick Rose era! Bulls fans rejoice; you got the best player in the draft. There was little question leading up to last night’s NBA draft that the Bulls would select the Memphis point guard, but when he was picked there a sense that something special had occurred. The hometown kid returns to Chicago to help reenergize a team that was generally lackluster last season.
Bulls fans should be very excited about Derrick Rose. This kid is the best point guard prospect since Chris Paul. Rose is going to be asked to come in right away, despite John Paxson’s coy remarks last night, and play a prominent role. He’s going to make other players around him better and provide instant leadership. This is a kid who only lost one game last year and is used to winning. His work ethic and drive are bound to rub off on his teammates. The Bulls used their second round pick on Arkansas shooting guard Sonny Weems, who was one of the best athletes in the draft, but is yet another guard. The Bulls are going to have to figure out what they’re going to do with their glut of guards. No matter what, they’ve got a heck of a player in Rose.
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The Draft is Tonight!
Tonight is the night that Bulls fans have been waiting for; it’s the 2008 NBA Draft. With most draft experts saying that Rose is the player that Chicago will select, the Bulls would be adding a blue chip prospect. Rose, the super athletic point guard out of Memphis, will give the Bulls a true floor general and should help facilitate the offense. The team has struggled to score at times, even in years they’ve made the playoffs, but Rose’s passing ability and court vision should really help other players. He’s probably the most athletic point guard I’ve ever seen. His ability to blow by defenders and get to the rim doesn’t tempt him be a shoot first point guard, as we saw this season at Memphis.
If the Bulls do take Rose, I think they’ll be making the right pick. Rose is the complete package. I think Beasley did fit a better need on the court, but I’d still take Rose. Rose is one of those players that you can get fired for passing on. He has the potential to be incredible. I also love his work ethic and humble demeanor. If you walked into the green room in New York tonight and had a casual conversation with each prospect, Derrick Rose is the last guy you’d expect to be going number one because he doesn’t act like “the man.” But don’t let that fool you; when he’s on the court he is “the man.” Tune in for the NBA Draft on ESPN at 7 p.m. Eastern to see if Rose becomes a Bull.
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No.1 Pick Win-Win For Bulls
The debate has been raging since the Bulls won the NBA Draft Lottery in May, Derrick Rose or Michael Beasley? The Bulls defied the odds by winning the lottery; they had less than a three percent chance to win it. As far as the odds went, the Bulls were slated to get the 10th pick and now have the chance to draft one of the two best players in college basketball.
Bulls fans may be agonizing over who their team is going to select, but really it’s a win-win situation. The team was “supposed to” get the 10th pick but, thanks to a bit of luck, they’re going to get an immediate contributor. Rose, the hometown kid, will be one of the league’s most exciting young point guards and is likely to join Chris Paul and Deron Williams among the position’s elite youth before too long. Beasley has the skills to average 20 points per game his rookie year and would provide the Bulls will the inside scoring they’ve desperately lacked for so long. Both players would greatly help the team and fans should be excited no matter who they draft. Regardless of the player selected, I think the Bulls have a good shot at the playoffs next season.
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Not Everyone Sold on Rose
While most draft prognosticators are considering Derrick Rose to Chicago via Thursday’s NBA Draft all but a foregone conclusion, there is at least one GM that thinks that would be a big mistake for the Bulls. ESPN.com’s Chad Ford is reporting that he spoke to one well-respected GM who is drafting in the second half of the first round (a.k.a. his team made the playoffs this season) who believes Beasley is far and away the better prospect.
I’ve been touting Rose on this blog for the past week, and I still like him as the number one pick. But as I’ve mentioned, from simply an on-court basketball point of view it appears that Beasley would be a better fit for the Bulls. I think Beasley has the upside to be better than Rose offensively. If this guy develops and works hard he’s going to be an unstoppable offensive machine. But I’m worried that Beasley isn’t going to work nearly as hard as Rose and never quite realize the almost limitless potential he possesses. I want a guy who will stick around after practice and shoot 200 extra jump shots before he goes home, or work on whatever he feels the biggest weakness in his game is. I see Rose as that type of guy, and I’m just not sure if Beasley would totally commit. I can see why some GMs would still regard Beasley as the top prospect, but Rose seems like the safer pick.
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Rose Could Send Hinrich Packing
Though the Bulls insist that they haven’t made a decision on whether to draft Derrick Rose or Michael Beasley, all indications are that they’re set to select Rose. Selecting Rose would make current point guard and team captain Kirk Hinrich expendable in what would then be a crowded back court. Hinrich had a tough season last year, as did many of the Bulls’ players, but still has trade value. Hinrich is a smart player who can really shoot the ball. He’s somewhat of a combo guard but has shown the ability to consistently run the point in the NBA.
I think Hinrich will be the guy traded if the Bulls take Rose. Nobody will be willing to take on Larry Hughes’s contract and penchant for bad shots and Ben Gordon provides too much of the team’s offense. There are several teams that could be interested in Hinrich. The Heat and Knicks are in the market for a point guard, but the Knicks may get one in the draft. Should the Bulls take Rose, then it’s all but certain that the Heat will select Beasley, making Udonis Haslem the odd man out in Miami. A Hinrich for Haslem trade could make sense for both clubs. It’s not guaranteed that the Bulls select Rose at this point, but if they do, look for someone to get shipped out of the windy city.
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Rose Wants to Be a Bull
Memphis point guard Derrick Rose expressed a burning desire to play for his hometown Chicago Bulls yesterday during a media session following his workout with the team. Rose said he’ll be crushed if the Bulls pass on him with the first selection in next week’s NBA Draft. The Bulls face a difficult decision between Rose and Kansas State forward Michael Beasley. There isn’t a LeBron James in this draft, as in a clear-cut number one pick that any team would select.
The Bulls have now brought in both Rose and Beasley for workouts but general manager John Paxson is not giving any indication of who the Bulls will select at this point. The most trustworthy draft analysts seem to think the Bulls will settle on Rose when it comes time to make their pick and I agree. Beasley fits a bigger need on the court, but Rose is a Chicago native, a great character guy and leader and he’s a rare talent. ESPN.com’s Chad Ford drew an interesting comparison between this year’s draft and the 1994 draft. The Milwaukee Bucks had the top selection and the choice came down to two players. The Bucks took Glenn Robinson, a guy who could score from all over the court and seemed to have no hole in his offensive game, much like Beasley. They passed on a point guard from Cal by the name of Jason Kidd. Robinson had a good career, making two All-Star teams, but I think we all know how Jason Kidd turned out. If the Bulls pass on Rose, will it look like a similar blunder 14 years from now?
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As a Bull Beasley Would Fill a Hole
With the NBA draft just one week away, speculation about who the Bulls will select with the first overall pick is heating up. Most mock drafts have the Bulls selecting Derrick Rose, including ESPN.com’s, usually the most trustworthy of the bunch.
The more I think about it, the more difficult this decision becomes. My initial reaction was that you cannot pass up on a talent like Rose, but Beasley fits such an on-the-court need for the Bulls that he’d be hard to pass on. The Bulls have been a jump shooting team for years, really since they traded Elton Brand to the Clippers in 2001, and it’s hard to maintain consistent scoring when the only options you have come from outside. The Bulls desperately need someone who can score down low, preferably from the four spot, which is precisely what Beasley would provide. The Bulls had LaMarcus Aldridge for all of ten minutes on draft day two years ago before they shipped him to Portland for Tyrus Thomas, a trade which Portland appears to have won hands down. Aldridge is already an accomplished scorer and would be a perfect fit for Chicago, while Thomas is floundering to find an offensive game and spends most of his time on the Bulls bench. Beasley would be a way to rectify that mistake, but his care-free attitude and concerns about his character may scare off John Paxson, who highly values character and work ethic. Derrick Rose’s soft spoken, humble demeanor and great work ethic may be the thing that puts him over the top. Plus, teams often pick the best overall player over team need, and I believe that Rose is the better overall prospect.
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Bulls Work Out Beasley
The Bulls began their pre-draft workout process yesterday bringing in Kansas State forward Michael Beasley. Beasley’s care-free attitude came through strongly during his media session, a demeanor that may not go over too well with veteran players and team management. Beasley answered a lot of questions about his supposed character issues, brushing aside most of the claims. As far as offensive talent goes, Beasley has it all. He can bang inside, hit from mid-range and extend his jump shot all the way out to the NBA three point line. Beasley is listed at 6-10, 235 lbs, but is probably closer to 6-8. He absolutely tore through the college ranks this past season, averaging 26 points and 12 rebounds in his freshman year.
Despite having an incredible skill set that should translate wonderfully to the next level, there are some concerns about Beasley. He’s had a reputation for sulking and isn’t known as the hardest worker. His individual numbers were extremely impressive, but his team struggled throughout the year despite having another potential first-round pick in Bill Walker. Some scouts fear that he might be a “me first” type of player and may never realize his potential because he’s not all that motivated. The Bulls are likely to take Beasley or Memphis point guard Derrick Rose who the Bulls will be bringing in for workouts next.
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Challenges Face Del Negro
Bulls fans and writers seem to be excited about the Vinny Del Negro era in Chicago, as many are giving him a vote of confidence, but Del Negro certainly has his challenges ahead of him. Del Negro has a lot of talent on the roster, but a lot of that talent is young, which is both good and bad. The good side is that it’s easier to develop a young player with potential than get more out of a veteran who has never quite realized his. On the bad side, Del Negro is sure to experience his fair share of frustration due to the mistakes that NBA youths are bound to make.
First and foremost, I think Del Negro needs to sit down with Luol Deng and make it known to the fifth year swingman that he’s the go-to guy on the team. Deng is supremely talented as has developed very well for a guy who is still only 23. He’s got length, athleticism, good quickness for his size and a nice mid-range jump shot. Deng needs to take the next step in his career and get more than the 14 shot attempts per game that he averaged last year. Del Negro also needs to make it clear to resident chucker Larry Hughes that Deng and Ben Gordon are their main scoring options so Hughes abstains from taking bad shot after bad shot, as he’s been known to do. Del Negro also has to help along Tyrus Thomas and Joakim Noah offensively because neither has much of an offensive game to speak of aside from dunks and put-backs. With all the talent on this roster and an incoming number one pick, the Bulls’ future looks very bright, but it will take some work to succeed in the present.
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